7.09.2015

Lamont Moore

My name is Lamont Moore. Born July 2, 1975. I am currently serving a life
sentence, where I must serve 25 years before I become eligible for parole,
which is not guaranteed. My eligibility date is August 2017.
At the time of my arrest, I had turned 17, thirty six days prior. My original
charge was 1st degree reckless homicide by child and carrying a concealed
weapon.
I ended up waived to adult court, going to trial on 1st degree intentional
homicide while armed, as a party to a crime charges. In April of l993, I was
found guilty. Still 17 years old, I was sent to Green Bay Correctional.
Before my arrest, I was in a gang, in the streets and very reckless. I had no
regard for anyone, except myself. I dropped out of school just to hang out with
people whom I thought were my “friends”, and “cared” about me. I was wrong . It
took a while to see and recognize that. So the type of person I was before I
got locked up, was a person who lacked self love, worth, esteem, knowledge and
appreciation,
That was then. In 2010, I’m completely evolved with a craving for understanding
things possible. After 18 years incarceration, I’ve traveled a very long way. I
pride myself on it.
I’ve accomplished so much. I attained my HSED\GED. I have a diploma in Small
Business Management. I graduated from Custodial Services with a B+ average. I
became LVA certified a tutor and have helped many receive their GEDs; on and
off the record. I’ve completed many of my mandated programs, with the exception
of CGIP – Phase 1 and 2 and Anger Management. Both of which, I’ve remained on a
waiting list for, due to those with less time than I.
I’ve held numerous jobs, whether vocational or tutoring or working on things
I’m unfamiliar with. I enjoy new challenges, as it expands my knowledge.
The best thing I’ve accomplished while incarcerated is the understanding of
life. Without it, I’ve always taken advantage of it or taken it for granted.
I’ll be 35 this year and the person I’ve become, I enjoy. I’ve become
independent in ways that didn’t seem possible. I understand the value of life,
friendships, education and survival. I focus on the positive aspects of
everything. I think before I act, no longer jumping the gun. I’m not angry at
the world, whereas, I’d love to learn more about. I’ve become patient, caring,
compassionate, forgiving, honest, reliable, respectable, trustworthy, etc..
Basically, I’ve grown from the foolishness to being productive and efficient.
The type of person I am now ? I’m very proud myself, as well is my Mom! And
that’s saying a lot. I’m the good guy, the one you’re not ashamed to stand next
to.
Why do I believe I deserve a second chance? I am not the same person I was when
I was 17. I couldn’t make a good decision if there was one decision to make.
I didn’t understand what “life” meant to law abiding people. More so, I was
confused because I was looking for somewhere to belong, when my family was
there. I used to blame people for my problems, when I was the one causing them.
That was then.
I am a different person, now. I consider myself a young man, man with a
direction, a purpose, a sense of self awareness and an in depth appreciation
for “ life” and what it represents.
I was given the opportunity to better myself and become a responsible person. I
believe I’ve done that and much more and I’m ready to show you, as my
community, that I am ready to participate in “life”.
I do believe I deserve a second chance. But before it’s too late. After serving
18 years, I believe in rehabilitation. Yet to sentence someone to so much time
in prison, with the thought of rehabilitation, it becomes a punishment because
the likelihood of one getting out is unforeseeable.
Thank-you for reading these thoughts.

As a youth, we’re not equipped with
divine understanding of what it means to be a leader, humane. Only through
trial and error do we come to know and understand the importance of our
existence, our soul, our spirituality. With this spiritual enlightenment, we
come to accept and acknowledge the effects of our choices. Therefore accepting
our fate in the world.

As a youth, we search blindly to
fill a void of the very things we take for granted, such as compassion,
companionship, friendship, family, loyalty and love, only to be substituted by
the very things that plague our nation and our communities today.

By God’s design, man is equipped
with many imperfections with no sin greater than the next. Yet far too many are
eager to judge ,exploit and turn their backs of the ignorant and spiritually
blind for no reason other that to satisfy the now ”norms” of society, which
will have us believe and act as if the future and lives of our youth have no
place in the world when they make decision that the enlightened would not.
Again , no man is perfect and neither am I.

There was a time when the leaders n
our communities were not only role models, but disciplinarians of our
youth>It was a calling. A duty that one tookpride in. These same leaders are now scarce, which allows this injustice
to plague our communities and youth to run ramant; free of constrictions that
once were pivotal. The same injustices that are now sweeping our nation with
rapid and brutal force reflecting that black lives don’t matter. This
reflection couldn’t be Farther from the truth.

But it’s never too late to try to
gain our foothold, standing up and being accountable. God gives us strength to
overcome all things that do not sit well with us. We have our battlegear and as
part of God’s army, we are equipped to deal with the injustices within our
communities. But first, we must realize that there is a problem.

And so arises the question of who is
lamont. No one can tell you this story better than I can. But I am a man who’s
genuine at heart though I’ve been through a lot .I have capture the spirit of
the past and am using it to force my future. My faith is strong as well as my
determination to erase the stigma place upon me that I am a waste. I am still a
child of God and my life does matter.
This is my story:

My name is Lamont. I’m a 39 year old
Back man. I’ll be 40 on July 2nd. I’ve been incarcerated since a
juvenile I was 17 years old when I committed and act against a fellow young
man. It changed my life as well as the victim’s, forever, as he is no longer
with us, and I, incapable of understanding life and its pleasures, nor did I
comprehend the decision I’d made. For committing murder, I was sentenced to a
term of life imprisonment with a 25 year parole eligibility date of August
2017.

23years later, I am a completely different person> A man whose past
will never be forgotten or ever ease. IN my youth, I’ve made decisions I’m not
proud of, but eventually played a major part is developing my future, carefully
molding the man I am today.

Raised in Milwaukee, WI, I lost my
father due to health concerns. I did have a single mother who gave me all that
she could but I was troubled, mentally distraught form the loss of my father
and the treatment thereafter.

Raised Christian, I
swayed from the church, finding myself in the streets, searching, not really
knowing or understanding what it was I was looking for: lost, misguided as I
was I embraced this, abandoning my roots and my family and found myself going
through a trial for my soul.

I attempted to fill a void with
something that I thought was sincere and because I found “brotherly” love in
the streets, I felt obligated to show loyalty to those I thought showed loyalty
to those I thought showed me that same degree of loyalty. I was foolish and
because of m personality, I went a step further:Unthinkingly , I senselessly took a life-
another of God’s creations. Not once did I consider what it meant to do because
remorse didn’t register .I didn’t think about what he’d grow up to be: whether
he was a father, a loving son or a playful big brother. I didn’t take responsibility
for what I’d done because I didn’t understand. I didn’t appreciate God’s design
of life being a precious gift. It was not his plan for Goshida Hall to die at
the hands of another.For that ,I can
earnestly say that I am truly sorry without being selfish, self –centered,
irresponsible and immature.

That was then and still I am a work
in progress, flawed yet making amends by accepting responsibility for such a
careless, senseless act, which cost Yoshida his life. I had to find it within
myself to decide if I wanted salvation because my soul was hurting and by
finding myself ,I found God again, setting myself right because the love that I
sought was the love that I had overlooked throughout my youth. And for the last
23 years, I’ve grown , matured, become dependable, responsible and developed a
sense of being and an identity I am proud of.

Even with my flaws, I know God will
keep me strong and faithful; on my journey> and so, I am a man who has
changed for the better and I’ve never forgotten my past because it’s the fuel
that feels the fire that burns within me Today. I am understanding,
compassionate, sympathetic and in tune with my spirituality, which gives me the
strength and direction to become a better man tomorrow than I was yesterday.
This is my story and it matters to me. I am rehabilitated and believe I deserve
a second chance in society

This blog is a companion to our Parole web page. Wisconsin has 2887 prisoners who are eligible for parole but are denied year after year. We are part of a campaign to see that these people get a second chance. They are all long past their parole dates. We want to spread the message loud and clear that people DO Change. Below are some of the stories and profiles of the many people stuck in a broken and wasteful system.